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Hedvig Mollestad Trio: All of Them Witches
ByAll of Them Witches further expands upon Shoot! with an even weightier disposition, sitting somewhere between metal progenitors Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, progressive rockers like Rush, and Norwegian contemporaries like Bushman's Revenge, Motorpsycho and El Doom and the Electric, in which Mollestad Thomassen also plays. The trio's spontaneous, in-the-moment approach to these ten originals may belie its adherence to form; jazz, by reductionist definition, it most certainly is not, but one of this trio's sonic cornerstones is Brekken's double bassrare in this musical sphere, but a sound that absolutely brings the quieter, slightly Americana-tinged "Shawshank," along with Bjørnstad's delicate cymbal work, a more authentic vibe.
If double bass seems an inappropriate instrument for up-tempo, pedal-to-the-metal tunes like "The New Judas," think again. And if "testosterone-filled virtuosity" seems, by definition (and biology) to be intrinsically male, then Mollestad Thomassen's fiery playing suggests it may be time to reconsider the term. Mollestad Thomassen is as aggressive, jagged and strong as they come, her tart, overdriven tone a thing of beauty as she moves from sharp double-stops, angry dissonances and brief wah wah and delay dalliances to the occasional Jimi Hendrixian feedback and thrilling, whammy bar-driven histrionics that put Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page, Sonny Sharrock and Fred Frith in a blender on "high."
In an arena defined, in part, by self-indulgence and "look-at-me" pyrotechnics, Hedvig Mollestad Trio certainly draws plenty of attention. Bjørnstad combines the thundering tone of John Bonham with occasional signs of tasteful elegance, and Brekken's massive tone anchors everything in sight while, on the closing "Kathmandu," proving a more than capable soloist. Mollestad Thomassen may choose a harder-edged, sometimes downright grungy tone on "The Rex," but on her a cappella tour de force, "Ghrá Rúnda," the guitarist demonstrates, in just three minutes, remarkable breadth, taste...and knowledge, transcending anything close to typicalwhatever space this music inhabits.
Not for those looking to protect their eardrums, All of Them Witches is best played loud. With its diversity of feel and breadth of aural landscapes, it's a record that may well engender some internal fist-pumping, but Hedvig Mollestad Trio's compelling writing and take-no-prisoners approach to playing show it clearly has plenty more to offer than much of the musical space it occupies.
Track Listing
Sing, Goddess; The Rex; Lake Acid; Achilles; The New Judas; Code of Hammurabi; Indian Driving; Shawshank; Ghrá Rúnda; Kathmandu.
Personnel
Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen
guitarHedvig Mollestad Thomassen: guitar; Ellen Brekken: bass; Ivar Loe Bjørnstad: drums.
Album information
Title: All of Them Witches | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Rune Grammofon
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About Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen
Instrument: Guitar
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